WO2012111262A1

WO2012111262A1 - Input device, method for preventing unintended operation of input device, and program for preventing unintended operation of input device

Info

Publication number: WO2012111262A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/000544
Authority: WO
Inventors: 山口　武
Original assignee: パナソニック株式会社
Priority date: 2011-02-16
Filing date: 2012-01-27
Publication date: 2012-08-23
Also published as: JP2014081666A

Abstract

Provided is an input device that is capable of preventing operation buttons located at the edges of the display screen from functioning unintendedly due to causes such as the adhesion of water droplets to a touch panel. The input device is provided with: a coordinate acquisition unit (102) that transforms contact locations into touch input coordinates on the basis of signals from a touch sensor (101); a movement direction calculation unit (103) that calculates the direction of movement of the coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit (102); a terminal orientation determination unit (105) that determines the orientation of the input device on the basis of signals from a tilt sensor (104); an unintended operation location determination unit (106) that determines that the bottom in the direction of gravity is an unintended operation location on the basis of the input device orientation; an unintended operation determination unit (107) that identifies that unintended operation has occurred on the basis of the touch input coordinates, the direction of movement, the terminal orientation, and the unintended operation locations; and a selection determination unit (108) that determines the effectiveness of a selection operation on the basis of the result from the unintended operation determination unit (107).

Description

Input device, input device malfunction prevention method, and input device malfunction prevention program

The present invention relates to an input device, a malfunction prevention method, and a malfunction prevention program, and in particular, an input device including an input sensor such as a touch panel and a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display, liquid crystal display), the malfunction prevention method thereof, and the like The present invention relates to a malfunction prevention program.

FIG. 7 shows an example of an input device 700 including a touch panel arranged so as to overlap with a display unit such as an LCD. The input device 700 detects the touch of a user on a display unit 701 such as an LCD, a function button displayed on the display unit 701, and the display unit 701 displays the touch panel 702 arranged to overlap the display unit 701. An external button 703, an external button 704, and an external button 705 are provided for using functions that are not performed.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a display screen 800 displayed on the display unit 701 for operation with the touch panel 702. The display screen 800 controls an information display unit 801 that can display and operate a title and additional information, a content display unit 802 that is the content to be displayed such as a map and a Web page, and an application that displays the display screen 800. An operation button 803, an operation button 804, an operation button 805, and an operation button 806 are configured. In order to increase the display area of the content display unit 802, or in the case of the portable input device 700, in order to facilitate the one-handed operation by the hand held by the user, the operation buttons 803, The

operation buttons

804, 805, and 806 are often arranged at the bottom of the display screen 800.

In addition, the touch panel 702 may erroneously detect the liquid adhering to the touch panel 702 as a user operation depending on a method of detecting a user's contact. For example, in the case of a capacitive touch panel, since a conductor in contact with the surface of the touch panel is detected, there is a possibility of erroneous detection when water adheres to the surface.

The erroneous detection by water of the capacitive touch panel will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9A shows an example when water droplets adhere to the touch panel 702. First, small water droplets 900 and water droplets 901 adhere to the touch panel 702. In order for the capacitive touch panel to detect contact, a contact area of the conductor is required to some extent, so that no erroneous detection occurs in the

water droplets

900 and 901 which are small water droplets. The water droplet 900 and the water droplet 901 flow to the lower part of the input device 700 by gravity, and when the water droplet 900 and the water droplet 901 come into contact with each other, they are collected into one large water droplet 902.

When the water droplet 902 is larger than the contact area necessary for the detection of the touch panel 702, the touch panel 702 erroneously detects the water droplet 902 as a user's contact. The water droplet 902 also flows to the lower part of the input device 700 by gravity and moves outside the detectable region of the touch panel 702. The touch panel 702 detects non-contact when the water droplet moves to the position of the water droplet 903 outside the detectable region, and ends the detection. As an operation method of the touch panel 702, a method of enabling an operation button touched when non-contact is detected is known. Therefore, the operation button 803, the operation button 804, the operation button 805, and the operation button 806 arranged at the lower portion of the display screen 800 that are highly likely to be erroneously detected due to water droplets attached to the touch panel 702 are likely to malfunction due to water droplets.

Patent Document 1 is known as a malfunction prevention method for unintended contact detection of the touch panel 702 such as erroneous detection due to water droplets. The malfunction prevention method described in Patent Document 1 is a touch generated when the touch panel 702 detects contact with an operation button that functions by a user's contact operation, such as the operation button 803 displayed on the display screen 800. The function of the operation button is enabled only when the event and the release event generated when non-contact is detected are detected on the same operation button.

The fact that malfunction can be prevented by the method described in Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The time when the small water droplet 900 and the water droplet 901 adhere to the touch panel 702 is T1, the time when the water droplet 900 is collected into one large water droplet 902, that is, the time when the touch event is detected is T2, and the water droplet 902 can be detected by the touch panel 702. The time when the water droplet 903 is moved outside the area, that is, the time when the release event is detected is defined as T3.

From time T1 to time T2, even if the

water droplets

900 and 901 move on the touch panel, the coordinates cannot be detected. From time T2 to time T3 is a period during which the touch panel 702 detects the coordinates of the water droplet. When the position of the water droplet 902 at time T2 is outside the operation button 804, the touch event is detected by the content display unit 802, and the release event is detected by the operation button 804. In this case, since the touch event is not detected by the operation button 804, the operation button 804 does not function at the release event at the position of the water droplet 903, and malfunction can be prevented.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-62446

However, the method described in Patent Document 1 has a malfunction due to water droplets that cannot be prevented. When the position of the water droplet 902 is in the operation button 804 at the time T2 when the touch event is detected, the touch button and the release event are detected by the same operation button 804, so that the operation button 804 malfunctions. The lower the display screen 800 is, the higher the possibility that a water drop is erroneously detected by the touch panel 702. Therefore, it is difficult to prevent the operation buttons disposed at the lower part of the display screen 800 from malfunctioning.

The present invention solves the problem of the conventional malfunction prevention method, and an input device and an input that can prevent an operation button arranged at the end of the display screen from operating erroneously due to water droplets attached to the touch panel. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus malfunction prevention method and an input apparatus malfunction prevention program.

The input device of the present invention includes a touch sensor that detects contact as a contact signal, and a coordinate acquisition unit that acquires touch input coordinates corresponding to the touched position from the contact signal detected by the touch sensor; From the movement direction calculation unit that calculates the movement direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit, the tilt sensor that detects the tilt of the device as a tilt signal, and the tilt signal detected by the tilt sensor, the device A terminal orientation determination unit that identifies a downward direction of the device, and a malfunction position determination unit that determines a position at which the malfunction of the touch sensor may occur from information on the downward direction of the device determined by the terminal orientation determination unit. The touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit, the movement direction acquired from the movement direction calculation unit, and the device acquired from the terminal orientation determination unit The malfunction determination unit that determines whether the malfunction has occurred using the downward information and the malfunction position information acquired from the malfunction position determination unit, and generates malfunction information when the malfunction is determined, and the malfunction And a selection determination unit that determines whether or not the operation button arranged at the position of the touch input coordinates is operable using a malfunction determination result acquired from the determination unit.

With this configuration, even if the touch sensor misdetects coordinates due to water droplets or the like, non-contact at the downward edge of the input device can be used as information that distinguishes it from normal non-contact. It is possible to prevent the arranged operation buttons from malfunctioning.

Further, the input device according to the present invention is a combination in which malfunction may occur from the upper end, the lower end, the left end, and the right end of the touch sensor based on the downward information of the device acquired from the terminal orientation determination unit. The malfunction position determination part which selects is provided.

∙ With this configuration, it is possible to detect at which position a malfunction occurs.

The input device of the present invention is not a malfunction unless the movement direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the movement direction calculation unit matches the downward direction of the device acquired from the terminal direction determination unit. It has the structure provided with the said malfunction determination part to determine.

With this configuration, it is possible to detect that a water droplet or the like moves according to gravity as a malfunction.

In the input device of the present invention, the movement direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the movement direction calculation unit is within a predetermined range in which the difference from the downward direction of the device acquired from the terminal orientation determination unit is determined. If not included, the malfunction determination unit determines that the malfunction is not present.

With this configuration, when a water droplet or the like moves according to gravity, it can be detected as a malfunction even if it moves while swinging irregularly in a direction different from the direction of gravity.

Further, in the input device of the present invention, the touch sensor detects a contact with respect to a downward direction of the device acquired from the terminal orientation determination unit as a moving direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the moving direction calculation unit. In this case, the apparatus includes the malfunction determination unit that determines that the malfunction does not occur when it has ever been reversed upward.

With this configuration, the operation with the user's finger has the feature that the direction of coordinate movement is reversed when pressed and released, but water drops etc. do not move in the direction against gravity. The detection accuracy of malfunction can be improved.

Further, the input device of the present invention includes the malfunction determination unit that determines the malfunction when the touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit match the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit. It has the composition provided.

This configuration can detect the occurrence of malfunction when a water droplet or the like reaches the end of the touch sensor.

Further, the input device of the present invention is the malfunction when the touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit are included in a predetermined range obtained from the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit. It has the structure provided with the said malfunction determination part determined.

With this configuration, it is possible to detect a malfunction even when the coordinates of the end cannot be detected due to the influence of the detection processing cycle of the touch sensor when a water droplet or the like moves at high speed.

The input device according to the present invention includes a plurality of touch sensors, and each touch sensor independently determines malfunction.

This configuration can prevent malfunctions from occurring in all touch sensors even if the external buttons arranged in the input device are replaced with touch sensors.

The input device of the present invention is arranged at a position different from the touch sensor, and detects an external touch sensor as a contact signal independently of the touch sensor, and the external touch sensor detects the touch signal. A touch operation detection unit that detects the touch signal as a touch event and a release event of a function button assigned to the external touch sensor, and a function assigned in advance from the touch event and the release event acquired from the touch operation detection unit. The configuration further includes an external button processing unit to be executed and a malfunction determination unit that invalidates the external touch sensor when it is determined that a malfunction has occurred.

With this configuration, when it is determined that a malfunction has occurred in the touch sensor, malfunction in the external touch sensor existing outside the touch sensor can also be prevented.

In addition, the input device according to the present invention may be configured such that after the external touch sensor exists outside the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit after the malfunction is determined, the touch operation detection unit includes the external touch sensor. It has the structure provided with the said malfunction determination part which instruct | indicates to invalidate detection information.

∙ With this configuration, only the external touch sensor arranged near the malfunctioning position is invalidated, and the external touch sensor not related to malfunctioning can be used without being invalidated.

The input device according to the present invention may be configured such that the coordinate acquisition unit is included in the touch operation detection unit when the external touch sensor exists outside the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit after the malfunction is determined. The malfunction determination unit that instructs to invalidate the detection information of the external touch sensor arranged at a position closest to the touch input coordinates acquired from the touch input coordinates.

With this configuration, even when multiple external touch sensors are arranged near the malfunctioning position, only the minimum external touch sensors that can cause malfunctioning are invalidated, and external touch sensors that are not related to malfunctioning are Can be used without being invalidated.

In the input device of the present invention, when the malfunction determination unit is instructed to invalidate the detection information of the external touch sensor, the touch operation that invalidates information of a period from one contact to non-contact. It has the structure provided with the detection part.

This configuration enables the external touch sensor to be automatically enabled after invalidating contact information that may cause a malfunction.

The method for preventing malfunction of the input device according to the present invention includes a coordinate acquisition step of acquiring a touch input coordinate corresponding to a touched position from a contact signal output by a touch sensor, and a movement of the touch input coordinate acquired in the coordinate acquisition step. The touch sensor based on the information on the downward direction of the device determined in the terminal direction determining step, the moving direction calculating step for calculating the direction, the terminal orientation determining step for identifying the downward direction of the device from the tilt signal output from the tilt sensor A malfunctioning position determination step for determining a position where a malfunction may occur, the touch input coordinates acquired in the coordinate acquisition step, the movement direction acquired in the movement direction calculation step, and the terminal orientation determination step. Information on the downward direction of the device, and malfunction position information acquired in the malfunction position determination step It is determined whether a malfunction has occurred and a malfunction determination step for generating malfunction information when the malfunction is determined, and the malfunction determination result obtained in the malfunction determination step is arranged at the position of the touch input coordinates. A selection determination step for determining whether or not the operation button can be operated.

The program for preventing malfunction of the input device according to the present invention includes a coordinate acquisition step of acquiring a touch input coordinate corresponding to a touched position from a contact signal output by the touch sensor, and a movement of the touch input coordinate acquired in the coordinate acquisition step. The touch sensor based on the information on the downward direction of the device determined in the terminal direction determining step, the moving direction calculating step for calculating the direction, the terminal orientation determining step for identifying the downward direction of the device from the tilt signal output from the tilt sensor A malfunctioning position determination step for determining a position where a malfunction may occur, the touch input coordinates acquired in the coordinate acquisition step, the movement direction acquired in the movement direction calculation step, and the terminal orientation determination step. Information on the downward direction of the device and the malfunction position acquired in the malfunction position determination step Information is used to determine whether a malfunction has occurred, and a malfunction determination step for generating malfunction information when the malfunction is determined, and the malfunction determination result obtained in the malfunction determination step is used to determine the position of the touch input coordinates. And a selection determination step for determining whether or not the arranged operation buttons can be operated.

According to the input device, the input device malfunction prevention method, and the input device malfunction prevention program of the present invention, even if a water drop or the like adhering to the touch panel is erroneously detected as a contact, it has moved out of the touch panel detectable region by gravity. It is possible to prevent the operation button arranged at the end of the display screen from operating erroneously by recognizing and determining that it is a malfunction.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the input device 100 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. (A) The figure which shows the terminal orientation (theta) used by the malfunction position determination part 106 which concerns on Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 of this invention, and the definition of a malfunction position, (b) Embodiment 1 and Embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the malfunction position determination method of the malfunction position determination part 106 which concerns on FIG. Flowchart of malfunction determination unit 107 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Flowchart of selection determination unit 108 according to Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 of the present invention The block diagram which shows the structure of the input device 500 which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. Flowchart of malfunction determination unit 504 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the external appearance of the input device provided with the touch panel The figure which shows an example of the display screen of the input device using a touch panel (A) The figure which shows the movement of the water drop adhering to a touch panel, (b) The figure which shows the relationship between the position of the water drop adhering to a touch panel, and time.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an input device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

An input device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a touch sensor 101, a coordinate acquisition unit 102, a movement direction calculation unit 103, an inclination sensor 104, a terminal orientation determination unit 105, a malfunction position determination unit 106, a malfunction determination unit 107, and a selection determination unit 108. Prepare.

The touch sensor 101 corresponds to the touch panel 702 in FIG. 7 and converts that the user has touched the touch sensor 101 into another physical event. For example, it is an electrostatic capacitance type touch panel, and converts the contact with the user into an electrical signal.

The coordinate acquisition unit 102 converts physical events of the touch sensor 101 into coordinates on the touch sensor 101 (hereinafter referred to as touch input coordinates).

The movement direction calculation unit 103 calculates the movement direction of the contact using the touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit 102. Here, the moving direction is uniquely determined based on the coordinate system on the touch sensor 101 and does not depend on the direction in which the user holds the input device 100.

The tilt sensor 104 converts how the input device 100 is held by the user into another physical event. The tilt sensor 104 is, for example, an acceleration sensor, and converts acceleration applied to the input device 100 into an electrical signal.

The terminal orientation determination unit 105 determines the orientation in which the input device 100 is held by the user from the physical event of the tilt sensor 104. For example, since the gravitational acceleration of the earth is constantly applied while the input device 100 is stationary, the terminal orientation determination unit 105 determines that the direction in which the acceleration equal to the gravitational acceleration is detected is downward.

The malfunction position determination unit 106 uses the inclination information acquired from the terminal orientation determination unit 105 to determine which part of the touch sensor 101 may malfunction due to water droplets or the like.

The malfunction determination unit 107 includes touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit 102, movement information acquired from the movement direction calculation unit 103, inclination information acquired from the terminal direction determination unit 105, and malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit 106. Information is used to determine whether a malfunction has occurred. If it is determined that a malfunction has occurred, malfunction suppression information is generated.

The selection determination unit 108 determines whether to operate the operation button from the information acquired from the malfunction determination unit 107. The operation button is a button that is displayed to control the operation of the input device 100 by a user's contact operation. Although there is no limitation on the arrangement of the operation buttons, the operation buttons are often arranged at the lower end of the screen as shown by

operation buttons

803, 804, 805, and 806 in FIG. In addition, when the input device 100 can change the display content in accordance with its own tilt, the operation button displayed at the lower end of the screen displays the acceleration of gravity according to the tilt of the input device 100. The display position is changed to the end of the direction.

Next, the operation of the input device 100 configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 2A is a definition of the terminal orientation θ and the malfunction position used in the malfunction position determination unit 106 in the first embodiment of the present invention. The terminal direction θ is defined as a positive terminal direction when the user is tilted clockwise with respect to a predetermined direction, for example, a direction in which the user is directly facing the input device 100. When the terminal orientation θ = 0 °, the upper side of the touch sensor 101 is defined as the upper end, and similarly, each side of the touch sensor 101 is defined as the lower end, the left end, and the right end. The position for determining the malfunction (malfunction position) is one or two sides of the touch sensor 101 in the direction of gravitational acceleration along the touch sensor 101, and the malfunction is determined at this position. When the terminal orientation θ = 0 °, the malfunctioning position is the lower end.

FIG. 2B shows an example of a method in which the malfunction position determination unit 106 in the first embodiment of the present invention determines the malfunction position from the terminal orientation θ. In this method, the terminal orientation θ is divided into eight areas divided by 45 °, and the malfunctioning position is determined for each. For example, when the terminal orientation θ = 0 °, the lower end is determined as a malfunctioning position, and when the terminal orientation θ = −45 °, the lower end and the left end are determined as malfunctioning positions.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the malfunction determination unit 107 in the first embodiment of the present invention.

The malfunction determination unit 107 determines whether or not the touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit 102 are non-contact information (step S301). If the touch input coordinates are not non-contact information (No in step S301), a coordinate event is generated from the touch input coordinates because the selection operation is not affected (step S302). If the touch input coordinates are non-contact information (Yes in step S301), it is determined whether the movement direction acquired from the movement direction calculation unit 103 is downward with respect to the terminal direction acquired from the terminal direction determination unit 105. (Step S303). If the movement direction is the downward direction (Yes in step S303), it is determined whether or not the movement direction has been reversed since the time of contact (step S304). Whether or not it is reversed is determined by whether or not the moving direction of the coordinates has changed from the downward direction to the upward direction with respect to the terminal direction.

Step S303 moves only in the downward direction if it is a water droplet that is a cause of malfunction, whereas the movement direction is reversed when the touch sensor 101 is pressed and released when the operation is performed with the user's finger. This is to improve the accuracy of determining whether or not the operation is performed with a finger. If there is no reversal in the movement direction (Yes in step S304), it is determined whether the touch input coordinates correspond to the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit 106 (step S305). When the touch input coordinates correspond to the malfunctioning position (Yes in step S305), it is determined that the malfunction occurs, and a fade-out event indicating non-contact that causes malfunction is generated (step S306). When the moving direction is not downward (No at Step S303), when the moving direction is reversed (No at Step S304), or when the touch input coordinates do not correspond to the malfunctioning position (No at Step S305). Then, it is determined that there is no malfunction, and a release event representing normal non-contact is generated (step S307). Finally, the generated event is notified to the selection determination unit 108 (step S308).

In the determination of the moving direction in step S303, even if the moving direction does not coincide with the terminal direction, ± 10 ° may be included in the downward direction, and the determination may be made with a range. Further, in the determination of the malfunctioning position in step S305, even if the touch input coordinate is the coordinate of the malfunctioning position of the touch sensor 101, for example, if it is the lower end, it does not coincide with the coordinate of the vertical end. The determination may be made with a range such as the lower end within 10 dots.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the selection determination unit 108 in the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, it is assumed that the selection operation is confirmed at the time of non-contact, and the operation at the time of event acquisition at the time of non-contact is described.

The selection determination unit 108 determines whether or not the operation button is being touched based on the coordinate event acquired from the malfunction determination unit 107 in the past (step S401). If the operation button is not being touched (No in step S401), no operation is performed because it is not a selection operation. If the operation button is being touched (Yes in step S401), it is determined whether the event acquired from the malfunction determination unit 107 is a fade-out event (step S402). If the event is a fade-out event (Yes in step S402), it is determined as a non-selection operation because it is non-contact due to a malfunction, and the operation button is not operated (step S403). If the event is not a fade-out event (No in step S402), it is determined whether the event is a release event (step S404). If the event is a release event (Yes in step S404), it is determined as a selection operation because it is non-contact by a user operation, and the operation button is operated (step S405). If the event is not a release event (No in step S404), nothing is done because the event is not related to the selection operation.

According to the input device 100 of this embodiment, even when the touch sensor 101 erroneously detects coordinates due to water droplets or the like, the non-contact at the downward end of the input device 100 is regarded as a normal non-contact release event. By generating as a distinguished fade-out event, it is possible to suppress malfunction of the operation buttons arranged at the end of the display screen.

The input device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of touch sensors 101, a coordinate acquisition unit 102, a movement direction calculation unit 103, a malfunction determination unit 107, and a selection determination unit that are independent for each touch sensor. 108 may be provided. With this configuration, when the

external buttons

703, 704, and 705 shown in FIG. 7 are realized by sensors equivalent to the touch sensor 101, malfunctions that can be suppressed by the touch panel 702 can be similarly suppressed by the

external buttons

703, 704, and 705. .

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the input device 500 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Compared with the input device 100 of the first embodiment, the input device 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 includes an external touch sensor 501, a touch operation detection unit 502, and an external button processing unit 503, and a malfunction determination unit. The difference is that 107 is replaced with a malfunction determination unit 504. In the input device 500 shown in FIG. 5, the same components as those of the input device 100 shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted or simplified.

The external touch sensor 501 is a sensor independent of the touch sensor 101, which is an external button 703 in FIG. The fact that the user has touched the external touch sensor 501 to execute the function of the external button is converted into another physical event. For example, it is a capacitance type touch sensor, and converts that the user has touched into an electrical signal. Since it is an alternative to the external button, it is not necessary to detect coordinates like the touch sensor 101, and detects contact and non-contact.

The touch operation detection unit 502 converts a physical event acquired from the external touch sensor 501 into an external button touch event and an external button release event.

The external button processing unit 503 uses the external button touch event acquired from the touch operation detection unit 502 and the external button release event to execute the function of the external button assigned in advance. For example, when a search function is assigned to one external touch sensor and the user presses and releases the external touch sensor, an external button touch event corresponding to the external touch sensor and an external button release are released from the touch operation detection unit 502. Get the event and execute the search function.

In addition to the processing in the first embodiment of the present invention, the malfunction determination unit 504 invalidates the external touch sensor 501 closest to the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit 106 when it is determined that a malfunction has occurred. .

Next, the operation of the input device 500 having the above configuration will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the malfunction determination unit 504. After determining a malfunction and generating a fade-out event (step S305), it is determined whether there is an external touch sensor at the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit 106 (step S601). For example, when the

external buttons

703, 704, and 705 are the external touch sensors 501 in FIG. 7, it is determined that there is an external touch sensor at the malfunction position when the malfunction position is the lower end. When it is determined that there is an external touch sensor at the malfunctioning position (Yes in step S601), the touch operation detection unit 502 is instructed to invalidate the external touch sensor (step S602). When it is determined that there is no external touch sensor at the malfunction position (No in step S601), the malfunction of the external touch sensor is not changed because no malfunction occurs. The invalidation of the external touch sensor in step S602 may be invalidated with respect to information on a period from one contact to non-contact. Further, in the case of a configuration using a plurality of external touch sensors 501, only a portion close to the malfunctioning position may be invalidated.

According to the input device 500 of this embodiment, when the external button is configured by the external touch sensor 501, it is possible to determine erroneous detection of the external touch sensor 501 in addition to the touch sensor 101, and the external touch sensor 501. The malfunction of the function of the external button assigned to can be suppressed.

Note that this application is based on a Japanese patent application filed on Feb. 16, 2011 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-030479), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

According to the input device of the present invention, malfunction can be prevented even if an operation button is arranged at the end of the display screen, and thus it is useful as an information device provided with an input sensor such as a touch panel and a display device such as an LCD.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Input device 101 Touch sensor 102 Coordinate acquisition part 103 Movement direction calculation part 104 Inclination sensor 105 Terminal direction determination part 106 Malfunction position determination part 107 Malfunction determination part 108 Selection determination part 500 Input device 501 External touch sensor 502 Touch operation detection part 503 External Button processing unit 504 Malfunction determination unit 700 Input device 701 Display unit 702

Touch panel

703, 704, 705 External button 800 Display screen 801 Information display unit 802

Content display unit

803, 804, 805, 806

Operation buttons

900, 901, 902, 903 Water droplets

Claims

A touch sensor that detects contact as a contact signal;
A coordinate acquisition unit that acquires touch input coordinates corresponding to the touched position from the contact signal detected by the touch sensor;
A movement direction calculation unit that calculates a movement direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit;
A tilt sensor that detects the tilt of the device as a tilt signal;
A terminal orientation determination unit for identifying a downward direction of the device from the tilt signal detected by the tilt sensor;
A malfunctioning position determination unit that determines a position where a malfunction of the touch sensor may occur from information on the downward direction of the device determined by the terminal orientation determination unit;
The touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit, the movement direction acquired from the movement direction calculation unit, the information on the downward direction of the device acquired from the terminal direction determination unit, and the malfunction acquired from the malfunction position determination unit It is determined whether or not the malfunction has occurred using position information, and a malfunction determination unit that generates malfunction information when the malfunction is determined,
A selection determination unit that determines whether or not the operation button disposed at the position of the touch input coordinates is operable using the malfunction determination result acquired from the malfunction determination unit;
An input device comprising:
From the information on the downward direction of the device acquired by the malfunction position determination unit from the terminal orientation determination unit, one or two adjacent ones of the upper end, the lower end, the left end, and the right end of the touch sensor are defined as malfunction positions. The input device according to claim 1.
The malfunction determination unit determines that the malfunction does not occur if the movement direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the movement direction calculation unit does not coincide with the downward direction of the device acquired from the terminal orientation determination unit. Item 1. The input device according to Item 1.
The difference between the movement direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the movement direction calculation unit by the malfunction determination unit and the downward direction of the device acquired from the terminal direction determination unit is included in a predetermined range. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input device determines that the malfunction does not occur.
The touch sensor detects a contact with respect to the downward direction of the device acquired by the malfunction determination unit from the terminal direction determination unit as the movement direction of the touch input coordinates acquired from the movement direction calculation unit. The input device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the malfunction does not occur when it has been flipped upward once.
The input device according to claim 1, wherein the malfunction determination unit determines that a malfunction occurs when the touch input coordinates acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit coincide with a malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit.
The said malfunction determination part determines that it is malfunctioning, when the said touch input coordinate acquired from the said coordinate acquisition part is contained in the predetermined range calculated | required from the malfunction position acquired from the said malfunction position determination part. Item 1. The input device according to Item 1.
With multiple touch sensors,
The input device according to claim 1, wherein each touch sensor independently determines a malfunction.
An external touch sensor that is arranged at a position different from the touch sensor and detects contact and non-contact as a contact signal independently of the touch sensor;
A touch operation detection unit that detects a contact signal detected by the external touch sensor as a touch event and a release event of a function button assigned to the external touch sensor;
From the touch event and the release event acquired from the touch operation detection unit, an external button processing unit that executes a function assigned in advance,
A malfunction determination unit that invalidates the external touch sensor when it is determined that malfunction has occurred;
The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:
After the malfunction determination unit determines that there is a malfunction, when the external touch sensor exists outside the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit, the detection information of the external touch sensor is sent to the touch operation detection unit. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the input device instructs to invalidate.
When the external touch sensor exists outside the malfunction position acquired from the malfunction position determination unit after the malfunction determination unit determines that it is malfunctioning, the touch operation detection unit acquired from the coordinate acquisition unit. The input apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the input device instructs to invalidate detection information of the external touch sensor arranged at a position closest to the touch input coordinates.
The said touch operation detection part invalidates the information of the period from one contact to non-contact, when invalidation of the detection information of the said external touch sensor is instruct | indicated from the said malfunction determination part. Input device.
A coordinate acquisition step of acquiring touch input coordinates corresponding to the touched position from the contact signal output by the touch sensor;
A moving direction calculating step for calculating a moving direction of the touch input coordinates acquired in the coordinate acquiring step;
A terminal orientation determination step for identifying the downward direction of the device from the tilt signal output by the tilt sensor;
A malfunction position determination step for determining a position where a malfunction of the touch sensor may occur from information on the downward direction of the device determined in the terminal orientation determination step;
Touch input coordinates acquired in the coordinate acquisition step, movement direction acquired in the movement direction calculation step, information on the downward direction of the device acquired in the terminal direction determination step, and malfunction position information acquired in the malfunction position determination step It is determined whether or not a malfunction has occurred using a malfunction determination step of generating malfunction information when it is determined that the malfunction, and
A selection determination step for determining whether or not the operation button disposed at the position of the touch input coordinates is operable using the malfunction determination result acquired in the malfunction determination step;
A method for preventing malfunction of an input device comprising:
A coordinate acquisition step of acquiring touch input coordinates corresponding to the touched position from the contact signal output by the touch sensor;
A moving direction calculating step for calculating a moving direction of the touch input coordinates acquired in the coordinate acquiring step;
A terminal orientation determination step for identifying the downward direction of the device from the tilt signal output by the tilt sensor;
A malfunction position determination step for determining a position where a malfunction of the touch sensor may occur from information on the downward direction of the device determined in the terminal orientation determination step;
Touch input coordinates acquired in the coordinate acquisition step, movement direction acquired in the movement direction calculation step, information on the downward direction of the device acquired in the terminal direction determination step, and malfunction position information acquired in the malfunction position determination step It is determined whether or not a malfunction has occurred using a malfunction determination step of generating malfunction information when it is determined that the malfunction, and
A selection determination step for determining whether or not the operation button disposed at the position of the touch input coordinates is operable using the malfunction determination result acquired in the malfunction determination step;
The malfunction prevention program of the input device provided with.